As Time Passes By
by Brendini1
Summary: Times through the years when Sam and Jack met, even before they met. Each of the first 3 chapters can stand alone, and the rest build on those. Chapter 5 is now up, 2 more to go! Also, thanks to LCJS for letting me know about a mistake in Chapter 4. It's now been fixed.
1. Germany

As Time Passes By  
>By: Brendini<br>Rating: PG  
>Pairing: SamJack  
>Category: Friendship<br>Summary: Times through the years when Sam and Jack met, even before they met.  
>Feedback: Please!<br>Disclaimer: I don't own them...wish I did.  
>Archive: , Helio, any where, just ask :)<p>

Captain Jack O'Neill was bored out of his mind, and he couldn't sleep. It was the middle of the night at the hospital at Rammstein Air Base in Germany, and Jack was feeling…antsy. That was understandable, considering he'd been confined to a bed for the last four days. It was too quiet (and boring) in his own room, so he decided to go exploring.

Jack figured that he'd have to get creative to make it to the wheelchair by the wall. Taking a deep breath, he hefted his casted left leg over the side of the bed. Luckily, it was only a half cast, so he could still bend his knee. He scooted himself forward until he could reach the floor with his good leg, then he leveraged himself out of the bed. Resting on his good leg, he quietly hopped over to the wheelchair, then sat down with a sigh of relief. Now, to get out of this room!

The door to his room had been left open, so Jack quietly wheeled himself to the doorway and peeked around the doorjamb. He looked one way, then the other, making sure there were no nurses around. He skulked into the hallway, unsure of where he was headed. Glancing around, he noticed a sign for pediatrics, and decided to go that way. You could almost never go wrong with kids.

Jack maneuvered his way through the halls, listening for signs of anyone who could send him back to his room. After having to duck into one room to evade "the enemy", he found the place he was looking for. Success!

Sneaking another look around, Jack didn't see anyone else around, so he poked his head into the ward. He rolled his way down the hall quietly, listening for any sounds. Peeking into one of the rooms, he saw a young girl looking back at him. Her eyes spoke to him, somehow, and he turned into her room.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" Jack asked her quietly.

"Can't sleep, I'm wide awake. What's your excuse?" she shot back at him.

"It's too da-dang quiet in here." She giggled at his near-miss. "Hey, no giggling, airman!" She giggled again. "I'm Jack, what about you?"

"Nice to meet you, Jack. I'm Samantha. You can call me Sam, though."

"The pleasure is all mine, Sam. What are they holding you for?" he asked conspiratorially.

"Tonsils. I have to have them out."  
>"Hey, you get lots of ice cream after that."<p>

"What about you, Jack?"

"Broken leg, some bumps and bruises. They're just checking under my hood, making sure all the fluids are topped off," he answered, making light of the injuries he had sustained on his latest op. He certainly wasn't going to tell this young girl what had happened to him.

Concern made her clear blue eyes seem even bigger. "What happened?"

Jack silently cursed himself. "Nothing major, just a little scuffle. You should see the other guy," he joked. He cursed himself again when he saw the sympathy and tears in her eyes. He almost thought he could get lost in them.

Sam reached out and squeezed his hand. "I'm sorry you got hurt, Jack."

Jack didn't know what he could possibly say to that. Here was this young girl, in the hospital for her own reason, and she was trying to make him feel better. He swallowed hard, twice, trying to get his emotions under control.

"Thank you, Samantha," he was finally able to say. "You don't know how much that means to me."

She smiled, and the whole room seemed to brighten.

'Oh, yeah! She's going to be a heartbreaker,' he thought.

Jack decided to change the subject. "So, you missing any school with this whole 'tonsils' thing?"

She grimaced. "Yeah, unfortunately. But I got my homework ahead of time, so it's fine."

"Somehow, I'm sensing you like school."

'I do. It's fun learning new things, even if it does get boring sometimes."

"What gets boring?"

"Usually math and science, because either I pick it up really fast, or it's something I've read about already."

"Read a lot, do you?"

"Yeah, I like reading. You can learn about people and things that you would never be able to actually meet or do."

"That is a very good point. So, how do you feel about, oh, I don't know…chess?"

"I like it. But my brother isn't very good at it, so I usually beat him."

"Your brother, huh? Hmm…I don't suppose you'd be interested in playing me? I might give you a run for your money."

"You're on! But where will we find a board?"

"Let me see what I can find," Jack said with a twinkle in his eye. Jack turned and wheeled his way out of the room, leaving Sam sitting up in her bed. A few minutes later he returned, triumphantly holding up the set he had found.

"Where did you find one at this time of night?" she asked.

"Ahh! I can't tell you, or I'd have to shoot you," he joked.

"Well, we can't have that. Who would keep you entertained in the middle of the night?"

"Was that…a jab, Samantha? I think I've already become a bad influence on you."

"No, I'm pretty sure I was already like that when you showed up."

"Whew! Otherwise I might have to worry about charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor."

"Nope, my dad beat you to it," she laughed.

"Oh, well, in that case…" he laughed.

Jack set up the board on Sam's bedside table, pulling the table between them. "White or black? Lady's choice."

Sam thought for a moment. "Black."

"Interesting," Jack commented.

"Well, I obviously need to keep you guessing," she joked.

As the game progressed, it became clear to the players that each challenged the other. Neither one was able to "let" the other one win. Finally, jack was able to beat Sam, but just barely. To her credit, Sam took the loss gracefully.

"Good game, Jack. It was nice to have a challenge."

"You did very well yourself. You've got a good eye for strategy."

"Thanks," Sam said, blushing.

Jack noticed she was starting to get tired.

"You think you can sleep now?" he asked gently.

"Yeah, maybe." She stifled a yawn. "Will you stay a few more minutes?"

"Definitely," he said, moving the table. "Now, get up there and get under your covers."

"Sir, yes, sir!" she joked, following his "order". "Will I see you again?"

"I'll come down and check on you tomorrow. Don't worry, it'll all work out fine," he promised.

Sam's eyes drifted closed. "Good night, Jack," she murmured.

"Sweet dreams, Samantha," he whispered. Once he was sure she was asleep, Jack pushed himself up on his good leg. He brushed a kiss across her forehead. "Good night, Sam."

Jack quietly made his way back to his room, detouring to put the chess board where he had found it. Once he got to his room, Jack found himself becoming tired as well. He arranged himself back in his bed and pulled up his covers. He drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face that matched the one on Sam's.

The next morning, Jack had a surprise after breakfast. His doctors had decided he could be discharged and sent back to the States. He would be flying out that afternoon.

'I won't be able to check on Sam,' he thought sadly, 'or say goodbye. Maybe…maybe she's out of surgery by now.'

After his discharge, Jack persuaded his nurse to go by the pediatric ward. When they got to her room, Sam wasn't there.

"Do you have some paper?" he asked the nurse. "I want to leave a note." After she scrounged around, the nurse came up with a sheet of notebook paper.

"Dear Sam,

I hope your surgery went well. I'm sorry I missed you, but I got a surprise after breakfast. They're shipping me back home today.

Keep exercising that brain of yours, and keep smiling that beautiful smile.

Yours truly,

Capt. Jack O'Neill"

Jack set the note, folded in a tent, on Sam's tray table. As the nurse rolled him out, Jack wondered if he would ever see Sam again.


	2. At the Academy

As Time Passes By

Chapter 2

Summary: Sam gets a chance to put her training to use, and Jack gets to see her in action. Sam is a cadet, and Jack is a Major (after Charlie is born).

A/N: This ended up a lot longer than I was expecting, but I think it works pretty well.

"Cadets!" Colonel Ronald James barked. "You have each received your orders, and you know the role you will play.

'Team leaders, you will be scored not only on whether your objective is met, but also on how it is or is not met. Team members, you will be judged on meeting your objective, as well as your individual performance. This will be determined by a combination of the judges' scores and comments from your team leaders.

'The judges are instructors, with one exception. We have brought in an officer to give an impartial score for each of you.

'You will begin the exercise out in the field, where you will stay tonight. Keep in mind, your team can be captured at any time, including before the exercise begins.

'Now, team leaders, round up your team members, get geared up, and head out! Where you go is up to you, within the parameters you were given.

'Fall out!"

With those words, the instructor stepped back, watching how each cadet reacted to both his words and the sudden surge of adrenalin he would expect them to experience. He half-chuckled to himself. If they really thought they knew what they were up against, they had another thing coming. This was his first year leading the practical exercise, and he had decided to up the ante. He had called in an old friend from Special Ops to be his "guest" judge, and Major Jack O'Neill had been told to ride them hard and spare no mercy.

Colonel James watched as Cadet Redmond, the Red Team leader, calmly rounded up the members of her team, then began assigning tasks. Cadet Anderson, the Blue Team leader, seemed less calm, however, as he looked around for his missing team members. The Yellow Team leader, Cadet Johns, seemed to be a combination of the two others, barking out orders. The fourth team, the Green Team, led by Cadet Cho, seemed to be faring better. It looked like, to start, it might be between the Red Team and the Green Team. You never could tell, though, who would handle the different obstacles.

By this time, all of the teams had made their way out of the clearing, scattering to the wind. Jack O'Neill walked out of the forest with a smirk on his face.

"Well, this should be interesting," Jack said. "Half of your teams have a clue, and the other half don't."

"Now, Jack," Ron admonished, "you know the first few minutes are usually a little…frenzied."

"But how often do the 'frenzied' ones pull it together?" Jack asked.

"True. But, you never know!"

In the woods to the north, Sam had quickly realized that Cadet Cho had become flustered and unsure of what to do. She knew that someone needed to speak up, or the exercise would be a wash. And since no one else was stepping up, it was going to fall to her to do so.

"Cadet Cho, if I may, sir," Sam said.

"Yes, Cadet Carter?"

"Sir, I believe I might know a suitable place for us to set up camp for the night."

"Where, Carter?" Cho asked.

"It's about two clicks northwest of here. There's good cover, and enough clearing to set up camp."

"Lead the way, Carter, unless anyone else has a better idea," Cho questioned, looking at the team's faces.

The team headed off behind Sam, taking care to keep an eye out for adversaries of any kind. One time, she signaled them to stop. They hid, as one, and listened as the Red Team passed them. Once the other team had gone past their position, Sam crept out of their hiding place, checking for any stragglers, Seeing none, she signaled the "all clear', and the group continued toward their destination.

A short time later, Sam was relieved to find that none of the other teams had chosen to use the site she had in mind. Whether it was ignorance or lack of thought, she didn't care. She was just glad not to look like an idiot to her team.

Jack, with the training that he had, would be heading out into the woods to find each of the teams. He would make notes and observations on each team member, and then the unit as a whole. He would then deliver his report back to the judges, at which time they would deliberate.

The teams would be out in the field for up to five days. Opponent team members who were captured would stay with the team who caught them, and they were allowed to escape. Upon doing so, they would head back to find their team. If the team had all been captured, they would either continue on their own for the remainder of the time, hoping their teammates also escaped, or they would head back to home base. The second option, of course, would not be looked upon favorably. Cadets were expected to continue until the end. If they didn't have the strong will and temerity to stick it out, maybe the Air Force wasn't the right choice for them.

Jack had been supplied with dossiers for all of the team members. They had included photos, so he would know who was who, but did not include observations or remarks from any of the instructors. His observations would truly be unpartisan. He had taken notice of one of the cadets, however: Cadet Samantha Carter. He recognized her as soon as he saw the dossier picture, although it had been eight years since that night in the German hospital ward. There was no mistaking her for anyone else.

He had been right in thinking she was going to be a heartbreaker. She had been lovely back then; now, she was "simply" beautiful. There was a spark that shined in her eyes, even in her picture, that couldn't be mistaken. Even in her picture, you could feel her energy.

Jack shook himself out of his fugue and grabbed his pack. He had four teams to find in the woods and to observe. He decided to head in the general direction the Red Team had taken. It would be interesting to see if Cadet Redmond had held it together, or if he'd fallen apart.

Two hours later, Jack caught up with the Red Team. He found a position outside of their camp where he could see everyone, and hunkered down. He figured he would stick with them for a couple of hours, and then head out in search of the next team.

Time passed quickly as Jack made his observations. The team seemed to be faring fairly well, with only a couple of minor issues cropping up. They were working well together, with one or two incidents being the exception. He did notice, however, that no one seemed to be watching the perimeter. He knew that if an opponent, or "enemy", came along, the team would be fairly easy to capture. He made sure to note this in his observations.

Too soon, it was time to head out to the next position. He hiked toward the Green Team's last heading. They could have gone in any direction by now, but he would pick up their trail. He doubted that these cadets had covered their tracks very well, just out of lack of experience. Within a few minutes, he was following signs that would lead to one of the teams, even if it didn't turn out to be the Green Team.

After an hour of hiking, he nearly ran into a cadet by themselves. He was far enough away that he almost couldn't tell, but it looked like one of the female cadets from Green was checking the perimeter. As he moved closer cautiously, he could see that it was, in fact, Cadet Carter. He moved stealthily through the foliage, looking for any signs that she had seen or heard him.

Just then, a twig under his foot snapped like a gunshot in the silence. He froze, waiting to see if she had heard him. What a dumb mistake, letting himself get distracted, even a little bit!

Sam turned toward the sound, straining to see or hear anything else. She slowly moved toward where it had come from, to make sure it wasn't one of their opponents. Suddenly, there was a dash of movement, and she darted toward the direction whoever (or whatever) it was was heading in. she just caught a glance of a regulation olive green pack, and diverted in that direction. She gave chase, not knowing who was ahead of her, only knowing that they needed to be caught. Her team's security, and success, depended on it.

Jack cursed himself for his distraction, and for letting her seemingly get the drop on him. He could hear her behind him, and was somewhat surprised by her conditioning. True, cadets needed to be and stay in shape, as evidenced by their PT requirements, but his job duties necessitated an even higher level of fitness. She actually seemed to be closing the gap between them, slowly but surely.

Sam could feel herself getting closer to her prey, whoever they were. She let her instincts guide her, and, with a last burst of speed, made a flying tackle and landed on her quarry.

Jack had the wind knocked out of him as his pursuer laid him out and he landed on his stomach. He had to give her points for her tenacity and daring, considering he was an unknown quantity in this entire exercise. No one knew he would be out among the cadets except Colonel James.

'She probably thinks I'm one of the cadets,' he thought with a small chuckle. He decided to let her in on the secret. She would know soon enough, anyways.

He made himself relax completely, going limp. He could tell she was just about to get off him when he made his move. He flipped them both, then turned himself over so he was on top of her. Acting quickly, he disarmed her and made sure she couldn't move. He saw her eyes go wide as she realized he was no cadet.

"Hello, Cadet Carter," he intoned, biting back a grin. This was going to be fun, he could tell.

"Sir! I'm so sorry! I just…I heard something, and I thought it was a cadet from one of the other teams so…I'm so sorry!" she apologized again.

"At ease, cadet. You were doing what you thought you needed to do. It's not your fault that I was your prey," Jack said with a smirk. He pushed himself off of Sam, and sat beside her. She raised herself to a sitting, then standing, position, and reached down to give the superior officer a hand up. Once they were on a (somewhat) even standing, Sam looked closer at jack, then shook her head at herself.

"Something wrong, cadet?"

"No, sir. It's just, well, you look familiar to me. Have-have we met before, sir?"

Jack mentally debated with himself, while giving nothing away. He hadn't anticipated this situation and, for once, was at a loss.

"Ah, hell," he muttered. "I guess you could say we have, although you probably don't remember it. It was a long time ago."

"Jack?"

"You remember?" he asked her, surprised.

"How could I not? I thought that night was never going to end, and then in wheeled this nice airman, and he helped distract me until I could fall asleep. I never got to thank you, sir."

"No thanks necessary. Did you get my note that I left? They decided to ship me home, and there was a plane headed that way that afternoon."

Sam blushed. "Well, actually…I still have it," she said quietly.

Jack grinned. "Sorry, what was that?"

If possible, Sam turned an even deeper shade of red. "I still have it, sir," she said, just slightly louder than before.

"Really?"

"Yes, sir. I-"

Don't worry about it, cadet. You don't have to explain yourself."

"Yeah, wish my brother felt that way."

"Carter?"

"Sorry, sir. Just thinking out loud."

"So, I take it your surgery went okay?"

"Yes, sir. And I ate lots of blue Jell-O and ice cream after."

"Blue Jell-O? Blue?"

Sam smiled. "It was all they had."

"Poor kid. Sore tonsils, and not a lick of good Jell-O to be had!"

"Actually, sir, I like blue Jell-O," she admitted.

Jack looked at her like he thought she had a screw loose. "You like blue Jell-O?"

"Yes, sir. Good memories," she smiled, her whole face lighting up.

When he saw the look on her face, Jack had to stop himself for a second. Unexpectedly, he almost had to remind himself that he was a happily married father. He couldn't remember ever feeling this connection with anyone, even with his wife.

Sam felt the difference in his demeanor, then it occurred to her, what they'd been doing: it felt like they'd almost been flirting. The realization made her cheeks pink again. Feeling out of her element, she retreated back to protocol.

"If I may, sir, I should get back to my watch."

"By all means, Carter. Go, watch. And I'd appreciate if you kept this little meeting between us."

"Sir?"  
>"No one's supposed to know I'm observing the teams."<p>

"Oh! Of course not, sir! My lips are sealed."

"Carry on, then Carter." He paused. "It was good talking with you again."

"Yes, it was, sir. Thank you."

Two days later found Sam on watch again. This time, she wasn't alone; she had Cadet Johnson out with her. This allowed them to patrol more ground. With the late hour (after 0200), Sam knew an "attack" was more likely

As she made her way through the woods surrounding their camp, Sam stayed alert. She heard movement to her right and dashed left, into some bushes so she could see who was coming. There was an off-chance that it was only Johnson making his way around, although more quickly than she was. A few seconds later, the source of the noise came into view, and it wasn't her teammate.

There was a contingent of Red Team members heading straight for the Green Team's camp, and she was right in their way. She hoped Johnson was far enough away not to stumble into a trap, but close enough to see what was going on and warn their team.

The "enemy" was still far enough away that she thought she might be able to make a break for it. Crouching low to the ground, she slowly backed away and to the side of the path her opponents were headed toward. When she had gained some distance, Sam uncurled herself from her stance and turned, moving as quickly and quietly as she could back to camp. Her team's survival counted on her getting there before the enemy.

She made good time, and, before she knew it she was standing in front of her team leader, reporting. Cadet Cho began barking out orders, preparing them to surprise the other team when they arrived.

A thought struck Sam. "Sir, if I may?"

"What is it, Carter?"

As Sam laid out her idea, Cho began to smile, then grin. He was very glad Carter was on his team! Without making her wait, he told her, "Make it happen."

"Yes, sir!" Sam saluted, then moved to make her idea into reality.

A few minutes later, the Red Team crashed into the clearing, weapons raised. Seemingly overrun, the Green Team members slowly raised their hands. They waited and watched while the Red Team grouped them together. Cho mentally counted and realized with an inward smile that Carter had been right: the Red Team had brought all but one member with them. Once he realized this, he gave a subtle signal to his team. Before they even knew it, the Red Team had been overpowered, and Johnson came into camp with weapons raided, as back-up. Team Red quickly realized that they had been beaten.

Team Green swiftly gathered and subdued their prisoners. Cho decided that he would let Carter interrogate them, as a reward. They still needed to find the final Red Team member, along with their captives. After telling Carter this, she smiled, thanking him, and then turned to the captives. She observed them silently for a few minutes, then pointed to one.

"Him." She quickly picked up the indicated foe from his place on the ground and led him away. Behind her, she could hear Cho reminding her team to search the others for weapons, or anything that could be used as one.

Twenty minutes later, Sam brought the prisoner back to the group, then went to her team leader. As she explained to Cho, he had been rather easy to "break". Sam wasn't altogether certain he even realized what he had given away. Cho decided that, with the information they had, they should be able to capture the Red Team, but still maintain a strong enough presence in camp that escape would not be possible for their adversaries. He would leave Carter in charge at base camp while he led the assault on the other team.

Plans were finalized, groups were formed as members were assigned to either stay with Carter or go with Cho. Finally, everything was set, and Cho's group moved out.

Out in the woods, Jack observed from a far enough distance that he wasn't seen. He didn't think Carter had said anything about him to her team, but he couldn't be sure. Now, he had a decision to make. Should he stay with the group defending the camp and prisoners, or go with the other group? Jack followed the group leaving the area, deciding that was the best course of action. When he figured out what they were doing (he'd been too far away to make out their lowered voices), he knew he was right.

With a minimum of resistance, the Green Team took over the Red Team's camp and captured the remaining team members. Jack was impressed with the efficiency the team used working together. He was also impressed that the team took the "victory" in stride. They began grouping their captives together in preparation for the trek back to base camp.

A few minutes later, the remainder of the Green Team and their prisoners entered the Red camp. Once everyone had arrived, the victors started the march back. Again, Jack kept to the woods, observing all the players. Even though it seemed to be a foregone conclusion that the exercise was over, and the winner determined, you never could tell when things could change.

Eight hours later, the group marched back into base camp, presenting the prisoners to Colonel James. The colonel didn't give anything away on his face, but solemnly congratulated Cadet Cho on his team's performance.

"Cadet Cho, congratulations on your team's capture of your enemies." He directed his attention to the entire group. "Cadets, we will be meeting with our independent observer and the team leaders, and then the judges will meet to determine final scores. Team leaders, I expect your post-mission reports and personnel reviews by end of class tomorrow. Dismissed!"

On that note, the winning team cloistered together, smiling and patting each other on the back. No one seemed to notice the officer sneaking out of the woods, but then Sam turned her head. None of the other cadets appeared to pay attention, though, and she smiled when Jack gave her a jaunty salute. He headed inside to give his report.

"Well, Jack, what did you see?" Col. James asked, once the judges had all convened.

"Overall, this is a good group, colonel. There were some stand-out cadets, though."

"Such as?" Col. James asked.

"The obvious answer is Cadet Cho, since his team won. Cadet Redmond, though, stands out as well. Her team had actually already captured the other teams before they went after the Green Team. Fortunately, Cadet Cho had Cadets Carter and Johnson on patrol, and they were able to take the invading team by surprise, and capture them.

"Once that happened, Cho had Carter interrogate one of the Red Team members. Presumable, she was able to get the intel they needed. Then, Cho led most of his team in an assault on the Red Camp, leaving Carter and Johnson behind to follow with the other prisoners.

"If Cadet Cho hadn't had anyone on patrol, or if Carter and/or Johnson had been caught unaware by the Red Team, Cadet Redmond may well have come out on top. I'd say you definitely have to give Redmond credit for that."

"Thank you, Major," Col. James said.

"Although, you gotta give Carter points, too. She had that intel from the Red Team within twenty minutes. I'd say that's pretty impressive."

Col. James and the other judges looked surprised. "Well, I-I guess so. I'll have to find out how she did that," he stammered.

"That could be an interesting story, Colonel," Jack replied.

"Yes, it could. Thank you for your help, Jack," Col. James said with a smile.

"My pleasure, sir. Any time," Jack answered.

Outside, most of the cadets had scattered. Sam, however, was one of the few remaining, hoping she might get a chance to talk to Jack – Major O'Neill. She still couldn't believe that he had ended up being the final judge. What were the chances, after all this time, of seeing him again?

While she had been completing the exercise, she had stayed focused on the mission. Now that it was over, she found her mind wandering back to that night in the hospital, so many years ago.

She had been disappointed, after reading the note, to find that he was gone. She knew he had to go when and where they told him; she just wished she'd gotten a chance to thank him, and say goodbye.

Sam was shaken out of her reverie by the sight of Major O'Neill coming out of the building where the judges were meeting. He smiled when he saw her waiting, and she smiled back as he walked up to her. She pulled herself to attention.

"Sir!"

"At ease, cadet." Jack paused. "Good job out there, Carter."

Sam glowed with pride. "Thank you, Sir!"

"How did you get that cadet to spill so fast?"

"I'd tell you, sir, but then I'd have to shoot you. And that would get awfully messy," she teased.

"Yes, it would. So, you're not going to tell me?"

"Let's just say it's a little trick I picked up watching the battle of wills between my dad and my brother."

"Got a bit of a stubborn streak running in the family?"

"In spades. I'm not sure which one of them is worse! And, these days, I pretty much get the same treatment as my dad."

"Why's that?"

"My brother hates the Air Force. He resents the time it took my father away from us growing up. And, he blames it for my mom's death, along with my dad."

Sam said this in a very matter-of-fact tone, but Jack could see that this really bothered her.

"I'm sorry about your mom, your brother, too. That can't have been easy to deal with growing up."

"It's okay. All you can really do is just accept it and move on. My brother isn't going to change his mind, and there's no way to go back and change things. Even if you could go back, you couldn't change anything. You would never know what kind of effect that would have on the world."

"I have a feeling…what's your major?"

"Theoretical astrophysics, sir."

"Oh, boy."

Sam prickled a little at this, ready to defend herself. "Is something wrong, sir?"

"Nope, no problem, Carter. But you know you just proved how much smarter you are than me, right?"

The lightness of his tone with that statement made her smile before she could hold it back. "If you say so, sir."

"So, what's next for you, Carter?"

"Well, I'll get to go flying soon, and then they'll decide what they want me to do."

"Ah, the infamous 'they'." Jack smirked.

Sam smiled back. "I know, right?"  
>"So, maybe I'll get to see you around some time."<p>

"That'd be nice, sir." She paused. "So, your leg healed well?"

"Oh, yeah. Every time."

"Every time? Just how many times have you broken your leg?"

"That's actually classified, Carter. I could tell you, but then I'd have to shoot you," he joked.

"Well, we can't have that, sir. How will I ever save you if you've shot me?"

"Good point, Carter. Ten points to the genius."

Sam blushed.

"You are a genius, aren't you?"

"Sorry, sir. I don't know what you're talking about."

Suddenly realizing he'd lost track of time, Jack looked at his watch, then swore softly under his breath.

"I gotta go, Carter. I have a bag to pack, and a plane to catch."

Sam's face fell in disappointment. "It was good seeing you again, Major."

"You, too, Carter. Glad you're doing well. I know you'll be a great officer."

She blushed, again, at the compliment. "Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me."

"Hopefully, we'll run into each other again…well, not literally next time!" Jack smiled. "Take care of yourself, Carter."

"You, too, sir. Stay safe."

As Major Jack O'Neill walked away, Sam wondered if he would ever show up again. She really hoped so.


	3. The Middle East

Chapter 3 - The Middle East (1991)

Summary: Sam and Jack meet again, this time half way around the world.

Rating: K+ (I think – nothing bad here, really)

A/N: I am so so so so sorry this has taken so long to get up. My muse decided to take a little trip, and leave me behind. I really have been wanting to get this finished, and I finally got the inspiration. So far, I'm planning on one more chapter (for sure), maybe two. I haven't decided on the second one yet. I think it depends on if my muse behaves. (Come on, it's MY muse…what are the chances? lol) And hopefully the next won't take as long, since I actually had it started before I started this one!

The animated chatter of off-duty airmen and soldiers filled the mess hall when Lieutenant Colonel Jack O'Neill entered. This wasn't his first time in combat, and with his experiences, it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Jack entered the chow line, filled his tray, then turned and scanned the crowd. He was supposed to meet his team here, after the briefing he had just gotten out of. So far, he hadn't seen any sign of them. He was making a second pass over the room when his eyes found a short mop of blond hair.

'Nah,' he told himself. 'What are the odds that she'd show up in my life again?' Besides, there were plenty of blondes in the world. He was shocked when the fair head turned and a pair of familiar blue eyes met his brown ones. He almost laughed when Samantha Carter's eyes widened in stunned recognition.

She was surrounded by what he figured were her flight members. They continued to laugh and joke around her, not noticing she had stopped. It didn't seem to faze them when she quit going along with the bantering. And it barely registered when she excused herself and left the table, once she'd allowed enough time for him to eat.

Sam felt his eyes follow her out the door of the mess hall. She couldn't explain why, but she wanted their conversation to be private, just between them. She could only hope he would realize that, and come after her. A few minutes later, he did. He rounded the corner of the mess hall to find her waiting for him.

"Lieutenant Carter?" Jack asked, emphasizing her rank.

"Yes, sir!" Sam responded, at attention.

"Fancy meeting you here, Carter." Jack smiled. "How've you been?"

"Good, sir, thank you. It's good to see you, too, sir." She chuckled.

"Care to share the joke?" Jack asked.

"Well, sir, think about it. We've met three times, and two of those three times have been in another country. I just think it's funny."

"You're right, that is funny. Although I think it may also be a testament to how often I'm out of the country."

"Very true, sir." Sam gave him an appraising look. "How have you been, sir?"

"Oh, can't complain, other than wishing I got more time at home with my family. But, what are you going to do, right?"

"Right. I'm guessing I shouldn't ask what you're doing here…"

"Not any more than I can really ask, and still expect a response, lieutenant."

"Touché."

"So, you been here for awhile?" Jack asked her.

"A couple of months. I've been doing a bit of flying," Sam answered with a grin.

"I'll just bet you have," he answered. "So, what's next for you, Carter?" 

"Well, sir, once I've had my fun here, I'll be headed back to school for my Master's, and then, who knows?"

"Back to school, because you really need to get smarter, right?" Jack teased, grinning.

"Absolutely, colonel. You know what they say: if you've got it, flaunt it!"

"Right," Jack drawled. "Don't forget, lieutenant, I've seen your file, or at least the one at the Academy."

"We'll just keep that information between you and I, won't we, sir?"

"My lips are sealed." Jack smiled.

The two officers talked about what they could in their lives. They talked about the last part of her time at the Academy; the time he'd been able to spend with his wife and son; how her brother was still barely speaking to her; how she was trying to avoid having her father "grease the wheels" for her. It was hard enough to be taken seriously as on officer, between being a woman and being a scientist.

Finally, Jack seemed to realize how late it was getting. He was disappointed, because he was greatly enjoying their conversation. He hadn't been wrong all those years ago: Sam Carter was, indeed, a heartbreaker, and she had the heart and mind to go along with it. 'Someone is going to be a very lucky man some day.'

"Well, lieutenant," he said with a wry grin, "as much as I would truly enjoy keeping this going, it's getting late. And, unfortunately, I have a mission to prep for."

Sam looked at her watch. "Oh, wow! I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I've got some prep of my own to get done. I'm sorry to have kept you so long, sir," she added.

"Bull! You didn't keep me, Carter. I was a willing participant," he laughed.

Sam smiled, "If you say so, sir. Sometimes I have a tendency to just keep running on about not much of anything."

Jack's expression darkened slightly, even though he tried to keep his face from showing it, at the thought that someone had put that idea in her head. His protective instincts reared up.

"Sam, don't **ever **let anyone tell you that you talk too much, or you ramble, or you don't know what you're talking about. You have an amazing mind; I'm glad you've shared some of it with me."

Sam could feel the blush from her toes to her hair at his words. No one had ever shown that kind of faith and confidence in her. She didn't know what to say, at first.

"Sir, I…I don't…you have no idea what it means, for you to say that. Wow! What can I say, after that?" Sam could feel the tears forming behind her eyes, and she tried to blink them away.

"Just smile and say 'thank you'. You deserve it."

Sam was treated with a full-blown Jack O'Neill smile then, and she almost couldn't breathe at the sight. She found herself meeting his with a smile of her own. Now, it was Jack's turn to have breathing trouble.

"Thank you, sir. It means a lot to me."

Jack caught himself. "You're welcome, Carter. Any time."

"Which direction are you headed, sir?" 

Jack pointed. "That way."

"Well, I'll leave you to it, then. Good luck with your mission, colonel. I hope it goes well."

"Thank you, lieutenant. Good luck on yours, too. Fly straight, and all that good stuff."

"Thank you, sir."

Each of them headed for their own part of camp, wondering if and when fate would bring them together again.

A/N 2: According to Stargate Wiki, it was during the Persian Gulf War when Jack was left behind by Cromwell, and then spent those 4 months in an Iraqi prison. I'm going on the basis that one of his upcoming missions will be the one. (Not this next one, with Sam wishing him luck.) Also, I in no way mean to imply that Jack did, or will cheat on Sara (who he's married to at this point). But, sometimes, a reaction is just a reaction, and we don't know why.


	4. Colorado Springs

Thank you all so much for all of your feedback, follows, and favorites! I'm so glad you're enjoying this. My profound apologies for not getting this out to you sooner. I've had it done for a bit, but I've had a combination of computer and schedule/work issues. Anyone who has ever worked graveyard knows what I'm talking about!

We never really know the whole timeline in COTG, so I'm kind of taking some liberties here. I'm going based off the assumption that Sam wasn't pulled from the Pentagon until Daniel's "response" was received. I'm also guessing that she would have travelled on a military transport (in uniform), and gone straight from the air field to the SGC (since Hammond is told she's "just arriving").

And now...chapter 4!

Colorado Springs, 1997

Captain Samantha Carter couldn't get over the very sudden change in her life. Just last night, she'd been deeply ensconced in the Pentagon, carrying out her research. And here she was this morning, rushing from the elevator to a briefing room on the other side of the country. As she approached her destination, she recognized George Hammond's voice. She knew she would have to show nothing toward the general, her new base commander, even though she'd known him for many years. He had served with her father (a general himself) years ago, and the two families had become close.

"I'm assigning Sam Carter to this mission."

General Hammond's words brought to mind blond hair and big blue eyes. Colonel Jack O'Neill allowed the thought for a split second, then mentally berated himself.

'There have to be a bunch of "Sam Carter"s. Besides, he said "Sam", not "Samantha".' Jack let himself be disappointed for just a second.

"I'd prefer to put together my own team, sir."

"Not on this mission, sorry," Hammond replied. "Carter's our expert on the Stargate."

"Where's he transferring from?" Jack asked.

A disembodied feminine voice answered for the general. "She is transferring from the Pentagon."

Jack almost swallowed his tongue as he watched "his" Sam Carter walk into the briefing room. In his mind's eye, he saw her as the scared girl waiting to have her tonsils out; the uncertain cadet, stretching herself to help her team succeed; finally, the self-assured, almost cocky, young lieutenant in the middle of a war zone. And now, he had a new image to add, to connect with the voice that was so familiar, and yet not.

Jack saw the flash of recognition in her eyes, then heard the note of irony in her voice as she reported in.

"I take it you're Colonel O'Neill," Sam stated, then snapped to and fired off a salute. "Captain Samantha Carter reporting, sir."

Jack returned her salute almost without realizing it. He gathered himself as he heard Sam going back and forth with Kowalsky and Feretti. Then Hammond called on him to start the briefing. He barely got a sentence out before she interrupted him.

"I've practically memorized your report from the first mission. I'd like to think I've been preparing for this all my life."

Sam cringed inwardly at what a...groupie she sounded like. Could she be more pathetic? True, she had poured over the Abydos mission report when it came in. She had been torn between fascination at what the team had found on the other side, and horror when she had realized that the team leader had not been expected to return. When she had read the name of the team leader, she had searched desperately through the files she had access to for a picture of him. It couldn't possibly be "her" Jack O'Neill, could it? What were the odds?

She felt like she was having an out of body experience as she faced off with the two majors across from her. Her nerves and excitement were definitely getting the better of her, she decided, when she found herself correcting Jack – no, Colonel O'Neill – on the correct way for her to be addressed. Before she knew it, she was spewing a horrendous speech about her reproductive organs, and just how tough she was.

She knew the men across from her had pushed her buttons, probably intentionally. And she'd blindly followed them right over the ledge. She just hoped that she'd be able to regain some of the ground she'd obviously lost.

They finally got through their mission briefing, and plans were made for the team's departure. General Hammond dismissed everyone, and went to his office. Kowalsky and Feretti left the room, with a look from Jack to Sam, along with the room's other occupants.

"We just keep running into each other, don't we, Captain Carter?" Jack asked with a smile.

"Yes, sir, it seems like it."

"How've you been, Sam?"

"Good, sir. What about you?"

"Good, good. Well, you know, the knees, the back."

Sam smiled. "Yes, sir."

"So, 'Doctor' Carter, huh?"

"Yes, sir." Sam blushed.

"Anything else I should know about, Captain?"

"I'm sure there probably is, sir, but I think General Hammond already hit the high points." Sam didn't want to tell anyone that she had known the general for a very long time. She thought that could wait until they got back from their mission, and she had, hopefully, proven herself.

"Sir, I'd like to apologize for my behavior earlier. I have a tendency to..."

"Jump to conclusions?" Jack inserted.

"That's one way to put it, sir."

"Look, Sam, it's fine. Everyone has an off day. Let's just hope that's the worst yours get."

"Yes, sir."

"And, honestly, they were putting your buttons a bit. That didn't help, I'm sure. But fair warning: Kowalsky tends to do that. This may not be the last time."

"I'll keep that in mind, sir."

Sam had thought about Jack through the years, even when they weren't running into each other. Heck, she even, for some unknown reason, still had the note he'd left for her, back in Germany. She'd come across it every once in awhile, and thought back to when they'd stayed up all night playing chess and talking.

She'd been nervous and yes, scared, that night. It was the first time she'd been in the hospital, and she really hadn't known what to expect. It didn't help that her dad was out on a mission at the time, either. It was only about a year later when her mother died, and Sam's family fell to pieces.

Jack had been a bright spot for her to look back on. In her mind, Sam knew that he had become larger than life, deserved or not. He had been there for her at a time when she needed someone. She had never forgotten him for it.

Jack cleared his throat, and Sam blushed as she realized she had become lost in her own thoughts.

"Much as I would like to be able to continue to catch up, Sam, we have a mission to prep for."

"Yes, sir. I won't let you down, colonel."

"Yes, captain, I'm sure you won't."

Hours later, Jack's team was finally ready to ship out to Abydos. Physicals had been passed, armament doled out to team members, and last letters written, just in case. They didn't expect there to be any trouble, but you never could tell. Finally, they all met in the gate room.

The dialing procedure was started, and the team was ready to go. After the wormhole was engaged, the team made its way up the ramp. Jack and Sam were the last two. With the rough start in the briefing, even after their conversation, Sam still felt she needed to reassure him. She stared at the wormhole, something she'd dreamed about for so long.

"Captain?" Jack asked.

"Don't worry, colonel. I won't let you down," she assured him again.

"Good," he answered. "I was going to say 'ladies first'."

Sam trailed behind him up the ramp.

"You know, you really will like me when you get to know me."

"Oh, I adore you already, captain." He really did. He just didn't know how much yet.

Four days later, Jack found himself in the gateroom again. This time, he was standing at the base of the ramp with Daniel and Sam, waiting for Teal'c. Sam had been cleared after the incident with Kowalsky, and didn't seem to be any worse for the wear.

A/N #2: I honestly don't know if I'll put up another chapter. It depends on if it (or you all) screams at me or not.


	5. Explaining Colonel O'Neill

As Time Passes By

Chapter 5

In the stillness of the late evening hours, Sam was facing a small dilemma: should she take a short break, then continue (and hopefully finish) her experiment, or should she wrap things up and call it a night? A voice from the doorway of her lab refocused her thoughts.

"Major Carter?" Jonas Quinn queried. "I thought you had gone home long ago."

"I was just trying to decide on that, actually."

"I was just headed to see if Teal'c wanted to grab some dinner. Care to join us?"

She thought for a moment, then said, "Sure, let's get some dinner."

The two new teammates made small talk as they headed to Teal'c's quarters, then the three of them made their way to the commissary. After picking out their dinner, they found a table and sat down.

Once they had all started eating, Jonas broached the subject that was on his mind.

"Major Carter, do you really think it's just a matter of time before Colonel O'Neill warms up to me?"

"Absolutely, Jonas. It just takes a bit of time."

"Well, how long did it take with you?"

"That's probably not the best example," Sam answered.

"Why not?"

"Well…because the first time we met wasn't when I joined the SGC. In fact, the stargate was still in mothballs."

"Did you not first meet O'Neill at your briefing prior to retrieving DanielJackson?" Teal'c questioned.

"Actually, no. You've never heard the story?"

"I do not recall the subject arising previously."

Sam glanced around the commissary, making sure no one was paying attention to their conversation. When she was satisfied that no one seemed especially interested, she leaned in a bit closer to the two men.

"All right, but you can't talk about it with anyone.

"We actually met a long time ago. I was in the hospital getting my tonsils out. It was the night before my surgery, and I just couldn't sleep. No matter what I tried, nothing worked. At about one in the morning, Colonel O'Neill showed up; of course, he was just a captain then.

"Anyway, we started to talk a little bit, and he seemed to realize that I was a bit scared about my surgery in the morning. He suggested a game of chess, and I accepted. He had to sneak out to the nurse's station in a wheel chair, because his leg was in a cast.

"The biggest thing I remember about the whole thing is that he didn't talk down to me, even before he realized I was a little smarter than most kids my age.

"When I was finally ready to go to sleep, he promised to come visit me after surgery. I was really sad when there was a note waiting for me instead, explaining that they had unexpectedly found a flight home for him."

"Wow. So did you know it was him when you met him here?" Jonas asked.

"Well, yes, because, as it turns out, that wasn't the last time I ran into him, figuratively or literally." Sam's cheeks pinkened slightly at the memory.

Realizing that she had become a little lost in her memories, she looked around the commissary. There were definitely more people around now than when she started her story.

"That story, however, is for another day."

Jonas seemed disappointed at her change of mind, and seemed almost ready to try to convince her otherwise. Sam decided it was time to go home.

"I think I've had enough for one day," Sam declared, standing. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Good night, Major Carter. Thanks for telling me about that," Jonas said, hesitating.

"You're welcome. Just…try not to worry too much about it."

Sam smiled at Teal'c's head nod and walked out the door, after putting up her tray. Tonight would certainly be a night full of memories.


End file.
